בַּעַל
𐤁𐤏𐤋
Baal
H1168 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: Baʻal, the name/title given to various Canaanite and West Semitic deities, most prominently associated with storm and fertility gods, but also used as a generic term for local divinities. The term sometimes refers to specific places, personal names, or titles of leadership. In some contexts, used generically for a master, lord, or proprietor.
Semantic Range
proper name for Canaanite god, name for various local divinities, title for authority or lordship, component in personal names, polemical label for non-Israelite worship, plural (baʻalim) referring to multiple 'lords' or deities
Root / Etymology
Root: בּעל (b-'-l), meaning 'to own, possess, be master of.' The proper noun Baʻal derives directly from the root, originally meaning 'lord' or 'owner.' In Northwest Semitic cultures, Baʻal became a standard theonym for local or major deities, evolving from the more generic meaning of 'lord.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, Baʻal refers primarily to a prominent storm and fertility god worshiped by several Canaanite groups and neighboring societies, but also encompasses a wider range of local divinities or spirits, each associated with a particular city or region (hence the plural, baʻalim). The term appears frequently in polemics against non-Israelite worship practices, particularly during the monarchic period. Over time, 'Baʻal' shifted from a neutral term for 'lord' to a polemical label connoting idolatry or apostasy in the Israelite context. In personal names, Baʻal can be used both in reference to the deity or simply as an honorific (e.g., names like Eshbaʻal). In later periods and translation traditions, 'Baʻal' was often rendered simply as 'Baal' in English Bibles, sometimes conflated with other deities or figures. The use of 'Baal' to refer to non-Israelite deities should not be confused with the root's more common noun sense of 'master' or 'husband' in other contexts (see H1167). Contrast with related terms for local deities (e.g., Asherah) and Israelite divine titles (e.g., Adonai).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as בַּעַל; Baal, a Phoenician deity; Baal, (plural) Baalim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
בעל (Baal) — to own, to possess, to be master
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1166 | בָּעַל | I possessed |
| H1167 | בַּעַל | master |
| H1169 | בְּעֵל | master-owner |
| H1172 | בַּעֲלָה | female owner |
| H1173 | בַּעֲלָה | Lord-place |
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1168-03 |
הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal | 38 |
H1168-05 |
לַ/בָּ֑עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
for Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal | 15 |
H1168-04 |
הַ/בְּעָלִֽים | habealim | HTd/Np |
the Baals | the Baals | the Baal | 13 |
H1168-06 |
לַ/בְּעָלִֽים | labealim | HRd/Np |
for the Baals | to the Baals | to Baal | 5 |
H1168-02 |
בַּ/בַּ֖עַל | babaal | HRd/Np |
through Baal | Baʿal | in Baal | 3 |
H1168-01 |
בָּ֑עַל | baal | HNp |
Baal | master | Baal | 2 |
H1168-07 |
וּ/בַ֥עַל | uvaal | HC/Np |
and Baal | and master of | and Baal | 2 |
H1168-08 |
בַ/בַּ֔עַל | vabaal | HRd/Np |
by Baal | with Baʻal | in Baal | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
80 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1168-04 |
Judges 2:11 | הַ/בְּעָלִֽים | habealim | HTd/Np |
the Baals | the Baals | the Baal |
H1168-05 |
Judges 2:13 | לַ/בַּ֖עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal |
H1168-04 |
Judges 3:7 | הַ/בְּעָלִ֖ים | habealim | HTd/Np |
the Baals | the Baals | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
Judges 6:25 | הַ/בַּ֨עַל֙ | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
Judges 6:28 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
Judges 6:30 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-05 |
Judges 6:31 | לַ/בַּ֗עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
for Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal |
H1168-03 |
Judges 6:32 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-04 |
Judges 8:33 | הַ/בְּעָלִ֑ים | habealim | HTd/Np |
the Baals | the Baals | the Baal |
H1168-04 |
Judges 10:6 | הַ/בְּעָלִ֣ים | habealim | HTd/Np |
the Baals | the Baals | the Baal |
H1168-04 |
Judges 10:10 | הַ/בְּעָלִֽים | habealim | HTd/Np |
the-Baals | the Baals | the Baal |
H1168-04 |
1 Samuel 7:4 | הַ/בְּעָלִ֖ים | habealim | HTd/Np |
the Baals | the Baals | the Baal |
H1168-04 |
1 Samuel 12:10 | הַ/בְּעָלִ֖ים | habealim | HTd/Np |
the Baals | the Baals | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 16:31 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-05 |
1 Kings 16:32 | לַ/בָּ֑עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
for Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 16:32 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-04 |
1 Kings 18:18 | הַ/בְּעָלִֽים | habealim | HTd/Np |
the Baals | the Baals | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 18:19 | הַ/בַּ֜עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 18:21 | הַ/בַּ֖עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 18:22 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 18:25 | הַ/בַּ֗עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
the Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 18:26 | הַ֠/בַּעַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 18:26 | הַ/בַּ֣עַל | habaal-2 | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 18:40 | הַ/בַּ֗עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-05 |
1 Kings 19:18 | לַ/בַּ֔עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
to-Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal |
H1168-03 |
1 Kings 22:54 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
the Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 3:2 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of the Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:18 | הַ/בַּ֖עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
the Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:19 | הַ/בַּ֡עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
the-Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-05 |
2 Kings 10:19 | לַ/בַּ֔עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
to-the-Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:19 | הַ/בָּֽעַל | habaal-2 | HTd/Np |
the-Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-05 |
2 Kings 10:20 | לַ/בַּ֖עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
for Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:21 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:21 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal-2 | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:21 | הַ/בַּ֖עַל | habaal-3 | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:22 | הַ/בָּ֑עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:23 | הַ/בָּ֑עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
the Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:23 | הַ/בַּ֗עַל | habaal-2 | HTd/Np |
the Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:23 | הַ/בַּ֖עַל | habaal-3 | HTd/Np |
the Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:25 | הַ/בָּֽעַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:26 | הַ/בַּ֖עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:27 | הַ/בָּ֑עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:27 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal-2 | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 10:28 | הַ/בַּ֖עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
the Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 11:18 | הַ/בַּ֜עַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 11:18 | הַ/בַּ֔עַל | habaal-2 | HTd/Np |
of Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-03 |
2 Kings 17:16 | הַ/בָּֽעַל | habaal | HTd/Np |
Baal | the Baʿal | the Baal |
H1168-05 |
2 Kings 21:3 | לַ/בַּ֗עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
for Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal |
H1168-05 |
2 Kings 23:4 | לַ/בַּ֣עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
for Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal |
H1168-05 |
2 Kings 23:5 | לַ/בַּ֗עַל | labaal | HRd/Np |
to Baal | to Baʿal | to Baal |